Some car companies aim to provide luxury or performance above all else; for mainstream brands like Honda, the primary goals continue to be value and reliability. Though often associated with traditional mainstays like the Honda Civic and Honda Accord, your local Honda dealer actually offers most every type of vehicle you can think of. Walk the lot and you'll not only see alternatives to the Toyota Camry and Chevrolet Malibu, but also the Nissan Frontier, Dodge Caravan, Mazda Miata, and Hyundai Elantra.

For car shoppers who crave excitement behind the wheel, the late Honda CRX and Honda Prelude have handed the reigns off to the Honda Civic Si, the rear-drive and high-strung Honda S2000 convertible, and the Honda Accord coupe V6. A more family-friendly driving experience is delivered courtesy of the Honda Accord sedan, the fuel-efficient Honda Civic hybrid, and all three members of the Honda SUV lineup. If those don't fit the bill, perhaps the Honda Odyssey minivan, Honda Ridgeline pickup, or miserly Honda Fit might do the trick.

Every new Honda is backed by a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, and prices range from the mid teens for a Fit to more than $40,000 for a loaded Honda Pilot.